Sky Sports.com

Full-time: After four minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle goes. United celebrate a hard-fought win which puts the pressure back on Arsenal in the title race but Derby can be proud of their performance, possibly their best since Paul Jewell took charge.

93 mins - Desperate: And Carroll charges forward as Derby win a corner on the left. The corner's cleared to Carroll on the edge of the box too but his shot is blocked by United.

92 mins - Great save by Carroll after Rooney puts Ronaldo clean through, the former United keeper saving low to his left. That would have been harsh on the Rams.

89 mins - Parry: Ronaldo finally takes the free-kick after dusting himself down and Carroll dives to his right to palm away Ronaldo's firm strike.

88 mins - Torment: Ronaldo torments McEveley to win a free-kick 25 yards out in a central position.

87 mins - Corner for United on the right, taken short by Giggs and easily cleared.

85 mins - Little threat from Derby and United are happy to play out time as the clock winds down.

83 mins - Fresh legs for Derby as Laurent Robert comes on for Sterjovski. He'll be kicking himself after spurning that chance in the 67th minute.

80 mins - Dejected: Derby look dejected now so that one goal could be enough for United to climb above Arsenal to the Premier League summit - at least until the Gunners face Middlesbrough later.

77 mins - Crucial: That could be a crucial goal in the title race and it's a tough blow for Derby, who have battled bravely and sensed snatching the three points themselves.

76 mins - GOAL!!! United's frustration comes to an end as Ronaldo finally converts to give them the lead. Rooney chased a long ball down the left to get behind the Derby defence and cross for Ronaldo to side-foot past Carroll at the back post.

75 mins - Whisker: Ronaldo attacks McEveley on the right flank before whipping a low centre across the six-yard box and Saha is within a whisker of connecting.

73 mins - Side-netting: United go forward on the counter attack and Ronaldo's 20-yard strike hits the side-netting. Darren Fletcher then replaces Anderson in Ferguson's last roll of the dice.

72 mins - Blocked: Jones sees a 20-yard effort blocked as Derby threaten leaving United with nothing by claiming a surprise win.

70 mins - Booking for Carrick after tugging back Miller on the Derby left. United are starting to show frustration as they sense two points slipping away here.

67 mins - Derby break and Jones finds Sterjovski on the right side of the United box but the Australian winger allows United to get back, his shot loops goalwards off a defender and Foster tips the ball over. Good chance spurned there for Derby.

64 mins - No immediate impact from the United subs though as there's a lull in play.

62 mins - Double substitution with Michael Carrick and Louis Saha coming on for Paul Scholes and the impressive Ji-Sung Park. Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to boost his attack - failure to win here would be a big opportunity missed for his title-chasers.

59 mins - Another trademark free-kick from Ronaldo goes over the wall and drifts inches wide. United well on top again here but that opening goal is proving elusive.

57 mins - Lively: This time the lively Ronaldo heads wide at the back post from a Giggs corner.

55 mins - Closer: Ronaldo goes close again with a downhead header from Giggs' inswinging corner and Carroll saves with his knees before McEveley hacks the rebound out of the six-yard box.

54 mins - Typical dipping free-kick from Ronaldo 25 yards out and Carroll manages to save low to his left and the rebound's turned out for a corner.

53 mins - Another stat for you.. Derby have only failed to score in one of their six home Premier League games against United - maybe a Derby opener isn't that unlikely.

52 mins - Momentum is with Derby now as they enjoy the bulk of possession at the start of the second half.

50 mins - Free-kick for United on the left wing after Sterjovski nudged Evra but Ronaldo's shot is poor and easily cleared.

48 mins - Penalty shout by the home crowd but Kenny Miller fell over the ball rather than Vidic's challenge and the Derby striker receives some treatment on his ankle.

Restart: Derby get things going again and it's a quiet start to the second half.

Half-time after two minutes of stoppage time. United looked completely in control, with Ronaldo hitting a post, although it took two fine saves in as many minutes from United debutant Ben Foster to deny Sterjovski and Miller and prevent Derby taking a shock lead.

45 mins - Good move by United results in Ronaldo squaring it across the six-yard box with Rooney lurking. Looks like United have survived that square as they finish the half strongly to regain control.

44 mins - Reply from United as Rooney outwits the Derby defence on the right side of the Derby box before lashing a half-volley into the side-netting.

42 mins - More danger for United as an unmarked Earnshaw just fails to connect with Sterjovski's cross 10 yards out, and John O'Shea is forced to sweep the ball clear.

39 mins - Alert: And an even better chance for Derby as Foster makes another fine save. Kenny Miller latches onto Earnshaw's pass to nip round Vidic and go clean through, and Foster is at full-stretch to his left to turn Miller's side-footed effort wide.

38 mins - Surprise: Derby almost take a surprise lead as Foster saves low to his left after Mile Sterjovski turned McEveley's left-wing cross goalwards from 12 yards.

37 mins - Header wide by Moore at the back post from McEveley's chipped free-kick into the danger zone.

36 mins - Ironic cheer from the home crowd as they get a rare free-kick following a foul by Anderson.

34 mins - Good save by Carroll to deny Ronaldo, who bent a 12-yard effort towards the top corner.

32 mins - Inevitable: A United goal looks inevitable but Derby have lost just two of their six Premier League home games against United and they've held the reigning champions out for over half an hour now.

31 mins - Break by United but Ronaldo's ball is too long for Rooney and Carroll rushes out to clear the danger.

29 mins - First effort on target by Derby as Rob Earnshaw makes room for a long-range effort only to scuff it straight at Ben Foster.

27 mins - Even: Still honours even midway through the first half, although it seems only a matter of time before United make the breakthrough.

25 mins - Pressure: Derby manage to put United under some pressure, although low crosses by Jay McEveley and Eddie Lewis from the left are comfortably cleared by United.

22 mins - Another booking for Derby after David Jones halted Ronaldo with a cynical block.

19 mins - Simple: And just when it seems Derby are getting a foothold in the game, a simple ball by Wayne Rooney picks out a Giggs run behind Leacock and the United winger takes it wide of Carroll before firing well off-target.

16 mins - Possession: Derby give the home crowd some encouragement as they enjoy some possession.

13 mins - Respite for Derby as Moore fires wide from the edge of the box after United fail to clear an Eddie Lewis free-kick.

12 mins - Short corner results in Anderson trying his luck from a tight angle and although Carroll tips it wide, the referee missed his touch.

12 mins - Woodwork: Ronaldo hits a post for United, shooting on the turn from another pull-back by Park, and Derby hack the rebound out for a corner.

10 mins - Positive start by United, who are hoping to keep the pressure on Arsenal at the top as victory would send them a point above the Gunners ahead of their game against Middlesbrough later.

9 mins - Four corners for United in quick succession - all cleared. This could be a long afternoon for doomed Derby, without a win in 23 league games and struggling to avoid finishing with the lowest-ever points total in the Premier League.

7 mins - Pull-back by Park finds Giggs 12 yards out and Moore's block deflects the ball wide.

6 mins - Ouch: Darren Moore is booked for raking down Ronaldo's calf.

4 mins - Ominous: United open up Derby with ease, Patrice Evra cutting in from the left and picking out Cristiano Ronaldo's run behind Dean Leacock. The United winger lashed wide from just inside the box, although the ball appeared to bobble as he pulled the trigger.

2 mins - Early chance for United as Ryan Giggs heads goalwards from Park's right-wing cross, although it's a comfortable save for another United old boy Roy Carroll low to his left.

Kick-off: United get things started and promptly put the ball out for a Derby throw-in.

Debut: United name a strong line-up with goalkeeper Ben Foster handed his United debut after Edwin van der Sar got injured and replacement Tomasz Kuszczak was sent off in United's shock FA Cup exit against Portsmouth last week, from which there are six changes.

Old pals' act: Former United trainee David Jones will renew acquaintances with some of his old team-mates after being given the nod ahead of Hossam Ghaly in midfield. Alan Stubbs is injured so Dean Leacock has the thankless task of trying to keep United at bay, while Rob Earnshaw partners Kenny Miller up front.

Man Utd: Foster; O'Shea, Brown, Vidic, Evra; Park, Scholes, Anderson, Giggs; Ronaldo, Rooney. Subs: Heaton, Hargreaves, Saha, Carrick, Fletcher.

Derby: Carroll; Edworthy, Leacock, Moore, McEveley; Sterjovski, Savage, Jones, Lewis; Miller, Earnshaw. Subs: Price, Villa, Todd, Robert, Ghaly.

Welcome to skysports.com's live commentary of the Premier League clash between Derby and Manchester United.